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Next Console Generation Defined By Software, Not Hardware
Fast Company recent spoke with Microsoft exec Shane Kim about Natal and the future of the Xbox 360. Kim said they're very interested in continuing to build out support for social networking and digital distribution, and he also made some interesting remarks about their long term plans. Quoting:
"It really has much more to do with ... the innovation and longevity that will be created when Project Natal is added to that mix and the value and the entertainment options that we continue to expand on Xbox Live. The 'next generation' will be defined by software and services, not hardware. In the past we would always get this question: 'Hey, there's a new console launch every five years and you're coming up on that time for Xbox, right?' That's the old treadmill way of thinking. Before you had things that were very obvious, from a hardware standpoint — pushing more pixels, the move from 2-D to 3-D, 3-D to HD, etc. We got a very powerful piece of hardware in Xbox 360. I am confident that we have more headroom available, in terms of developers and creators figuring out how to get more out of the system. So I worry less about new hardware having to enable us to move to a different level of graphics. It's much more about the experiences that you are going to deliver."
I just blew off some mod points to answer this. An oil painting has terrible resolution, get up close and you can only see dawbs of paint. Stand back and those dawbs of paint turn into tiny details that look almost photo realistic.
The skill of the artist is not to acurately paint what is in front of him, the skill is to trick the veiwers brain into seeing what artist wants them to see. The "high resolution" of the Mona Lisa when viewed from a few feet is simply your brain filling out the details that are not actually there when you examine the painting closely.
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
I am on my fourth 360. I do not expect it to last another six months!
You're an idiot.
The "Wii won"? [...] Yes the Wii is leading compared to each Xbox and PS3 individually
This is exactly what "The Wii won" means. So there are still people like you in denial.
BTW, the Wii didn't even receive a price cut yet, and it's going on to complete its 3rd year in the market. Just saying...
Improvements in graphics are mattering less and less.
If that was the case we would all be still playing pong and enjoying it. :)
Yet the Wii just proved that improvements in graphics are mattering less and less, by outselling even the XB360 in the USA, despite the USA being the core market of the XB360, and it having 1 year headstart. I see that as a very good proof that improvements in graphics are mattering less and less.
The XBOX division wrote down all the expenses related to fixing the RROD xboxs in one quarter, a massive loss, so that they could claim profitability now. My friend (and accountant) pointed that out.